AURANGZEB’S TOMB

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Context

• As announced by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb at Khuldabad will remain closed for five days due to security reasons.

About Aurangzeb’s Tomb

• Aurangzeb (4 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), the sixth Mughal emperor, ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for half a century until he died on 3 March 1707.
• According to his wish, he was buried near the dargah of Sheikh Zainuddin, a Sufi who was also his spiritual and religious teacher.
• The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last influential Mughal emperor, is located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, India.
• In notable contrast to other Mughal tombs, which are large monuments of Mughal architecture, including the Taj Mahal, at his direction Aurangzeb is buried in an unmarked grave at the complex of the dargah or shrine of Sheikh Zainuddin.
• The Tomb of Aurangzeb is a simple grave with no ceiling and nothing that denotes the grandeur of an emperor.
• A British Statesman, Lord Curzon, tidied the place with marble as a mark of respect for the emperor.

About Archeological Survey of India

• The Archaeological Survey of India is an Indian government agency attached to the Ministry of Culture that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments in the country.
• It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its first Director-General.
• The ASI administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.

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